Avatar: The Long Road
by kyle468
Summary: It has been more than 70 years since Avatar Korra defeated Kuvira. For decades the world saw only peace, prosperity, and balance. But this Golden Age has not lasted. The Fire Nation has been torn apart by a bloody civil war, and the next reincarnation of the Avatar is missing. As the world falls apart, the Sun Warriors choose a champion who will save their tribe.
1. Prologue

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Prologue

Long ago, the Four Elemental Nations lived in Harmony. Fire, Earth, Water, and Air peacefully coexisted, with the United Republic and the Avatar keeping the balance between them. The Avatar, master of all four elements, was the universe's way of preserving harmony. Each Avatar not only kept the balance between human nations, but also mediated between the human and spirit worlds. More than seventy years ago, Avatar Korra saved the world from chaos and oppression, bringing forth an era of peace. We all took the Avatar's presence for granted. This peace has not lasted, and the Avatar is now gone. The weak and helpless must now look to other champions instead.

 _There was a brilliant flame in the field of darkness. Its tendrils were like molten gold, an intense richness that seared itself into the mind's eye. The fire rose and its outer tongues peeled away like husks from corn, revealing a bright flaming phoenix. The darkness slowly burned away to reveal a meadow filled with swaying rows of wheat under a blue sky. The phoenix took flight and soared. A flash on the horizon. A small boy appeared, skinny with dark hair and cinnamon skin wreathed in golden tongued flames. His eyes glowed with a blinding white light. Stuck into the ground before him was a silver sword, its hilt engraved with two dragons locked in embrace._

The Elders gazed intently at Arzu as she relayed her dream to them. The Guardian Spirits had answered their prayers and given her, the Shaman, a message. A warrior-a Paladin-had been chosen to wield the legendary Sword of the Dragons and save their tribe. Many of the Elders were skeptical of the sign. Had their ancestors really put their fate in the hands of a child? And surely they would have chosen someone capable of bending the elements?

"This is wrong. We cannot force a someone so young to shoulder our burdens," one of the Elders said. "Arzu is a young and untested Shaman. What if she misread this so-called-message?" said another.

Arzu was indignant. "It was exactly as I said. What else could it mean?" _If you can draw another interpretation, feel free to share,_ she thought privately.

The Chief held up her hand, a gesture for silence. "Right now, our Shaman's dream is our only hope," she said. "We will stay on the lookout for signs of the Avatar. But until then, we must rely on what we already have."

* * *

 _Seven Years Later_

The cackling embers of a small fire slowly died as the sunlight faded in. Around it sat a young boy, his gray eyes mirroring the amber glow of the flames. He cupped his hands to his mouth as the dawn wind sliced into his face and ears. His windbreaker was not enough. There was not a soul with him in the small glade where he camped, and that was how he preferred it. The oak trees around him gently swayed and rocked with the breeze. The only noise was the sound of leaves fluttering. Thick hulking trunks, towering above human and beast alike, had once been acorn small enough to fit in a child's hand. Only one in a few million are destined to grow into trees, and even fewer are destined to thrive. The ones who survive to adulthood become magisterial creatures, forever doing penance to the sun.

Ismail was not a child anymore. He looked at the acorn in his palm. The hands of a sixteen-year old dwarfed the fragile seed. _Everything in my life is about to change,_ he thought. The quiet sanctuary where he camped seemed comfortingly removed from human contact, from human voices telling him what to do and how to act. His luminescent wrist pad spoke up.

"It's getting late," it said in a female voice.

"Yeah, I know that Naomi."

Ismail sighed, and slung his sword across his back. It was a treasured possession, as familiar to him as a part of his own body. It was certainly a part of his destiny. Ismail wanted to enjoy the solitude a bit longer, but he stamped out the fire anyway, in preparation to return home. There was a crackling footstep behind him. A sundried, wrinkly hand suddenly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Ismail, it's time to go. The meeting is about to start," said Uncle Sai.

 _Why now? Can't they wait?_ Dejectedly, Ismail stood up and dusted off his pant legs. "Don't have a choice, do I?" he muttered.

He steeled himself for whatever exhaustive task the Elders were going to make him do. _Damn this life,_ Ismail thought. Uncle Sai grabbed him by the shoulders and drew him close to stare into his eyes.

"I've watched my nephew grow so much," Uncle Sai said in a raspy whisper. "You are almost done. I know it." He drew Ismail into a hug. "The Elders are waiting," he murmured. "We need to go."

Ismail clenched his fists until they grew taught. The anger within him welled up alongside frustration, becoming a bottled-up pressure. He forced himself to relax. _Not here, not now._ Together, Ismail and his uncle made the lonely trek back to town, surrounded by chattering cicadas. As they exited the forest, farmland sprawled out on either side of them-magisterial fields of golden wheat. The dirt road was strangely devoid of other people, save for some resting farmhands sitting to the side in muddy worn-down fatigues.

"Were there always this few people around here?" Ismail asked.

"Most of the able-bodied boys and girls have been conscripted," replied his uncle. Uncle Sai quickly changed the subject. "I'm surprised you didn't ride your motorcycle out here," he said to Ismail. He took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a draw. "Naomi, can you give us a moment?"

"Sure thing." The glow of Ismail's wrist pad shifted from its normal neon-blue tint to a red-orange one, indicating that Naomi was in standby mode.

Now that they were alone, Uncle Sai turned to Ismail. "I don't think they're gonna lecture you like last time-the Elders, I mean. It's probably about the next phase of your training."

"Well, as long as I'm not being force-fed lessons on 'civic responsibilities and virtuous behaviour' by the Chief and her Hags, I can't really complain."

"Ismail, you _did_ sort of deserve that. I mean, two-hours of continuous scolding wasn't what I had in mind-"

"They hardly gave me time to defend myself." Heat flushed throughout Ismail's body. _They_ _never did._

"Your summary of events was all they needed to hear. Now Ismail-"

"I can't believe they put the blame on _me_ -"

"You beat up four kids outside the canteen, Ismail. I thought Chief Koh was a little harsh in her punishment, but you were still in the wrong."

 _No I wasn't._ "All I did was shove them off after they made fun of me and Mei." _She's one of the few people I have left_. Ismail unconsciously rubbed the burn on his forearm that he'd acquired from the fight.

Uncle Sai sighed. "You broke Zane's arm and nose, and gave him a black eye. And don't get me started on what you did to the other three."

"This wasn't the first time they insulted us, y'know."

Uncle Sai took out his cigarette and turned to look at him, exhaling wisps of white smoke. "Then stop associating with them. I know you're following them around because you're trying to get even with'em for what happened at the Jade Cafe. It's petty revenge, Ismail."

"They deserved it-you've seen how Zane and the others act! They're a bunch of bullies."

"Trust me, they're getting their own talk-down." Uncle Sai suddenly halted, and turned to face Ismail. "But it's not about whether they deserved it. It's not about them at all _._ It's about _you._ " He patted Ismail on the shoulder.

Ismail let his anger simmer, but he was too tired to argue back. The heat within him was fading, even as he remembered how Chief Koh had called him "a disgrace to the people of the Red Hills Tribe." Up ahead, the he saw the gate that marked his hometown. In giant black characters it read "WELCOME TO THE KASHI ABORIGINAL RESERVATION." Nestled on the coastal plains in the northwest -reaches of the Fire Nation, Kashi Reservation was home to one of the last vestiges of the Sun Warriors. This was where Ismail had lived his entire life.

The Sun Warriors had endured numerous calamities in their five-millennia long existence. From natural disasters like floods and famines, to persecution under the ancient Fire Lords, they trudged onward with their lives. An old adage of the Sun Warriors was, "The trunk must stand even if the branches are cut and the leaves plucked. As long as strong roots remain, new branches can sprout and new leaves can grow." This adage had been tested thousands of times in Sun Warrior history, ever since their ancestors, the followers of the Dragon-Spirit Tian-Zhu and her disciples Ran and Shaw, had first settled down. Eventually, the Sun Warriors were forced into hiding as the Fire Lords incorporated more and more of their land into their own domains.

Kashi was formed seventy years ago, when Fire Lord Izumi cordoned off tracts of land from ranchers and miners in the nearby Kashi Township and given it exclusively to the Red Hills Tribe of the Sun Warriors. Kashi Reservation and Kashi Town were often considered to be a single settlement due to their close proximity. It had a unique identity, for its culture was a blend between that of the aboriginal Sun Warriors and that of the Bhanti people, who were the majority ethnic group in the Fire Nation.

Uncle Sai smiled as they walked past. "When I was a young miscreant little turd like you, my father would say, 'you can kick all the shins you want, but don't come complaining when you don't have a best foot to put forward.' We should speak with Zane once your errand with the Elders is over."

"We already tried reconciling before."

"Well, we're gonna try again. I want the two of you to have a heart-to-heart. Life's too short for grudges, especially petty ones. Zane is not a bad kid, and neither are you." Ismail begged to differ, but he bit back a retort. Uncle Sai told Naomi she could come out of standby mode. The lights on Ismail's wrist-pad flickered back to its usual neon-blue tint.

Once he was past the gate, Ismail and Uncle Sai were nearly bowled over by a cloaked woman sprinting across the road. "Really ought to watch where she's going," he muttered. "She's probably trying to cash in her ration cards," said Naomi. "They're selling off some grain surpluses today."

Uncle Sai shook his head. "The situation just seems to get worse. Both the Republic and the Monarchy want to requisition our food."

Municipal authorities had started issuing ration cards seven years ago. Yellow for grains, blue for dairy, green for vegetables, orange for fruit, red for meats, white for oils, and so on. Until the last decade, Kashi had remained relatively unaffected by the social chaos engulfing the Fire Nation, despite growing tensions between the Monarchist and Republican factions. Back then, transients wishing to escape the chaos in the Central Provinces had already been flowing into Kuzon province, where Kashi was located. Although Kuzon had only three cities with more than 300,000 people, one of which was the capital Haijing, there had been enough room to house most of the refugees in the initial wave. While most of the the Fire Nation's wealthy fled to Republic city, the poor fled to Outer Provinces like Kuzon by rail, car, or river barge. These people, benders and non-benders alike, sought to escape the constant protests, riots, street clashes and martial law in the Fire Nation's Central Provinces.

The young Ismail had watched these refuge-seekers with curiosity whenever he left Kashi Reservation to head into Kashi town proper. Old and young alike, wearing weathered, faded mustard-yellow clothes caked with brown and khaki splotches of mud and dust, walked by with eyes forward as if in trance. Once, during a grocery trip, Ismail saw a lame man, a gray-haired refugee, hobble to a breadline with his bandaged hands clutching a gnarled walking stick. "It's rude to stare" his mother said, tugging his shirt lightly to get him to follow.

"Why's he like that?" Ismail asked in his tinny voice.

"People get hurt for various reasons. But it's not our place to judge him."

"Did he deserve it?"

"That's enough, Ismail," his mother said coldly. It was a small rebuke, but he felt ashamed for some reason upon hearing these words from his mother. Ismail felt Naomi would've been more understanding.

Nevertheless, for a time there were few changes felt in Kashi save a host of new faces. Kuzon province was, after all, a broad and fertile plain fed by the Kuzon River, which trickled down from the Dragon Mountains to the ocean. Food had been abundant. For three years, the newcomers and the natives of Kuzon had coexisted peacefully, if not always cordially. But in the last seven years, tidal waves of refugees had swept in as the Fire Nation government began to fracture. The distant thunder of artillery echoed along the plains; their flash periodically lit up the night skyline. Forces aligned with the Republicans and Monarchists fought in countless skirmishes around Kashi, even though officially, both sides were convening diplomatically in the capital.

Air raid alarms blared at least twice a week. Kuzon province became an overcrowded cauldron within a week of the arrival of the first large-scale refugee wave. This was even as thousands of people were being peeled away by the Republic and the Monarchy-both of whom had strongholds in Kuzon-for military service. Most of the townsfolk and city-dwellers were taken by the Republic. The Monarchy primarily conscripted people from the countryside. Kashi did its best to remain neutral, but this was becoming increasingly difficult.

Where were their ancestors to guide them, the people of Kuzon asked? Where was the Avatar, the restorer of balance?

The spirits inhabiting the wildlands in the Dragon Mountains were divided on whether to help the congregating humans. Some spirits journeyed down to the plains where the humans lived and aided them by gathering supplies or offering services. Some spirits stayed in the mountains and hissed and spat at humans walking by, warning them to stay away. But most spirits were indifferent to the plight of the humans, just as the humans had been indifferent to the plight of the spirits. And since Kuzon was essentially cut off, administratively speaking, from the central government due to ongoing war, there was little hope of receiving outside aid.

* * *

"Can you show us one of your fire tricks again? _Pleeeaaaaase?_ " The group of children looked expectantly at Arzu, who was about to leave her home. She sighed.

"The same one?"

"Yes, yes please!" The children excitedly chorused.

"Oh, alright. But I have a meeting with the Elders soon, so I can't do too much." Arzu took a breath, drawing upon her chi reserves, and willed flames into existence over her outstretched hands. To Arzu, firebending was as easy as breathing. She began to "juggle" the balls of fire, which, as usual, utterly entranced the youngsters. She added a third ball of flame to up the ante for a few seconds. Then, the flames burned out as if a switch had been flipped. "Sorry guys, I gotta go," she said. The children said their usual "Aww man!" and made their usual groans, before finally dispersing. Her companion, a Wolf Buzzard named Ting popped out of the doorway to accompany her.

"Quite the entertainer, huh?"

Arzu turned around to see Jin, her former spiritual teacher. She smiled. "Just some parlor tricks to keep them occupied." Jin handed her a ration ticket. "For breakfast."

"Thanks, but I already ate."

"Alrighty then. You're missing out on the ersatz bacon though."

"Nah, it's the acorn coffee that really sates my palette."

"I thought it was the sawdust wheat buns?"

"I got tired of those."

The two of them walked towards the Town Hall, where the Elders adjourned. "The United Republic should be helping us," Arzu murmured. "They don't have the time to deal with a small tribe in the Fire Nation's backwater," said Jin. _What a bunch of buffoons. The United Republic exists to help people of all nations-what use is it if it can't feed some folks caught up in a damn war?_

* * *

The detritus of a nation ravaged by war could be seen everywhere in Kashi town. Occupying the main plaza and surrounding alleys was shanty-town constructed from corrugated sheet-metal, wooden planks, plastic debris, cloth, oil drums, sandbags, homemade bricks, hay, and innumerable other things scrounged up from the dump. Its streets were constantly damp and crawling with Ratshrews. Strange and previously undiscovered odors wafted about, acidly assaulting Ismail's eyes and nose. This town-within-a-town was referred to as the "Gray Zone," although its color was actually a smattering of grays, purples, teals, charcoals, reds, blacks, and browns, depending on the time of day and weather. Uncle Sai told Ismail and Naomi that they would have to walk through an alley bordering the Gray Zone to get to the town hall. "Be on the lookout for the sick," he cautioned. "They should have been quarantined, but Pentapox transmits quickly."

This alley, cordoned between a chain-linked fence and an abandoned warehouse, was actually more of a trail. It was a slog through beggars, ration-card hagglers, swindlers ready to take advantage of desperate refugees, and others who lined the paved road. The Zone had its own marketplace, entertainment area, waste collection points and commons. Its inhabitants-refugees, smugglers, human traffickers, the sick and wounded, and military deserters, among others-had created councils to handle their own services. There was a decision-making board, a law enforcement council, an education council, a supply acquisition board, a liaison group that worked with Kuzon officials, and a sanitation council. The last one wasn't very good at their job.

 _I can't look them in the eye. I can't I can't I can't I can't!_ Ismail was embarrassed, ashamed really, to be in the presence of the inhabitants of the Gray Zone. A hundred desperate phantoms examined him and his uncle, both of whom had donned sanitary masks. Ismail mentally prayed. _Stop staring. Please._

Ahead of Ismail, in the center of town, sat a squat and elegant ziggurat richly decorated with ochre tapestries. The town hall's exterior was a rather tacky imitation of a true Sun Warrior ziggurat; not surprising considering that it was built by the Fire Nation government rather than the Sun Warriors themselves. The Sun Warriors were constantly reminded of Fire Lord Izumi's compassion, generosity, virtuousness and greatness every single day thanks to the sizeable engraving of her face on the pyramid. Uncle Sai paused at the entrance. "Alright, good luck Ismail. I'll see you when it's over," he said. Ismail stepped into the square opening that was the entrance into the hall. Inside, the Elders waited.

* * *

Arzu watched the Elders assemble and prepare for their meeting from a balcony inside the Council Room. She had not slept last night. Ting rested her head on her lap and whimpered.

"I'm alright, girl. Just exhausted, that's all."

She had been racked with anxiety ever since the Paladin had been chosen. Some of the Elders had been skeptical of her choice, but Chief Koh's endorsement of her convinced them to back Arzu's dream. The whole weight of the tribal leadership pinned their hopes and dreams on someone she had chosen. Meanwhile, conditions for her tribespeople got worse and worse. Every month, the Elders made sacrifices at her temple, hoping for an end to food shortages, and end to conscription, an end to the war. _Spirits please,_ Arzu had prayed every night, _let my interpretation of your dream be correct_.

* * *

"Welcome back, Ismail." The greeting echoed in the circular Council Room, and seem to hang in the air. Ismail sat with both legs tucked under him. They were already beginning to numb. He felt tiny sitting on the richly mosaiced floor, which was about twenty-five feet in diameter. The mosaic depicted the twin dragons Ran and Shaw being locked in a harmonious, flowing dance with ringlets of fire emanating from their mouths, similar to the design on the hilt of Ismail's sword. He had to tilt his head up to see the seventeen red-robed figures of the Tribal Elders, seated in a large semi-circle some eight feet above him. In the center sat the Chief. They were learned but out-of-touch men and women-wise, but not in a way that was useful in modern times. They were not bad people by any means, but Ismail had grown weary of their tight-handed control over his life. The Elders he liked the most were the ones who had directly overseen his training. They did not know him as well as Uncle Sai or Naomi, the AI he had come to see as his best friend, but they knew his limitations, his strengths and weaknesses, and wants and wishes quite well.

Columns of sunlight, courtesy of large circular windows, streamed in between the seated individuals and beat down on Ismail.

"Your training is almost complete," Elder Zhang said in a demure, but subtly friendly tone.

 _For the first time my life, I wish it weren't_ Ismail ruminated bitterly.

"I know this will sound cliche," the Elder continued, stroking his trimmed white-speckled beard, "But… You should be very proud of yourself Ismail. You have almost mastered the Sword of the Dragons." His voice reverberated in the large, domed room. Several of the Elders nodded. Ismail fidgeted and shifted his legs uncomfortably. The sunlight was becoming unbearable for it seared into his skin.

Chief Koh leaned forwards, causing light to shine onto her wrinkled face under her hood. She drew a silent breath. "Ismail, we have had some discussions…" She paused to find the right words.

 _Yes? And?_

Koh spoke up again. "We know you have some disagreements with your duty." She paused to lick her lips, then continued. "I just want to say that the tribe had to act, given the dire circumstances. The Fire Sages had no luck finding the next Avatar. They'd been looking ever since Korra died eleven years ago. Recently, we've received important news, which is why we've called you here. But back then, we could not afford to wait, so we prayed to our ancestors and to the Guardian Spirits for help. They were our only source of guidance. They chose you, Ismail."

"You're putting a lot of trust in the weird shaman lady's words," Ismail said. _How are outdated superstitions supposed to save us_? Ismail, a non-bender, had somehow been chosen as the Paladin of the Sun Warriors when he was six years old. The Paladin was considered to be the greatest fighter and journeyman of the Sun Warriors, meant to find threats to the tribe and defeat them, hence the name.

Chief Koh bowed her head. "This responsibility was unfairly forced upon you, and you have suffered for it. No child should have their future decided for them, even by our Guardians. But our ancestors and our Guardian Spirits would not lie to us. Still, I want you to know that we'd rather let the Avatar shoulder our burdens instead of you."

 _Gee, thanks. You can't seriously believe that in times of need, some ghosts are just going to parcel out prophecies and find a savior among the dwindling masses_. Ismail opened his mouth unsteadily. "You took away my life" he said, looking at no one in particular.

Chief Hong, a middle-aged woman who had helped train him, spoke up. "You're right. We forced the burden of our tribe, and of the refugees, onto you. While children of your age were out playing and enjoying their lives, we forced you to learn how to fight and survive. We took away your choices, your freedom, your passions. No apology could make up for all of that, but…" Chief Hong paused. "We are sorry, Ismail."

 _Bullshit_. "No use apologizing," Ismail murmured, "for what's already happened." Chief Hong opened her mouth to speak, but froze, unsure of what to say. "You are our sword and shield," she said quietly, "our last hope."

"I'm just one kid."

"You are not alone. We will always help you in any way we can."

Ismail did not respond; he had heard that statement thousands of times. He sighed, and touched the Sword of the Dragons slung across his back. Its spirit-vine grip was comfortingly firm to the touch.

"Anyways," Chief Koh said awkwardly, "as I said, the reason we called this meeting is because we have received important news. Two days ago, the Fire Sages received a sign at their temples." She paused, and looked at the Elders, right and left. The Elders silently nodded. The air was devoid of sound.

"The Avatar has returned, Ismail."

At the sound of those words, the air seemed to dry up and freeze. _The Avatar… The_ Avatar. "The Avatar…" Ismail breathed. "No way." Ismail had grown up hearing the legendary exploits of Avatar Korra and Avatar Aang, how those keepers of balance had saved the world. Avatar Aang had defeated the Fire Lord, ended the Hundred Year War, and founded the United Republic. Avatar Korra had fended off numerous threats ranging from Dark Spirits, to Bloodbenders, to giant robots, and had opened the spirit portals. Her legacy was several decades of prosperity and harmony, both in the human realm and between humans and spirits.

"The Avatar's help is desperately needed here," one of the Elders said. "But we only have a vague idea as to where he is. Our contacts in the Fire Sages tell us there is a great deal of spiritual energy concentrated around Republic City. The White Lotus already has a presence there, but they have not found anything yet."

"So you want me to go to Republic City to find the Avatar?" Ismail asked.

* * *

Arzu remembered how her heart had skipped a beat when she heard the news. _The Avatar might be in_ Republic City _?_ It was hard enough trying to get to the Fire Nation's capital due to the ongoing chaos. Getting to Republic City would requires several months of preparations, such as finding a "travel guide" willing to illegally smuggle someone into the city. Then the challenge would be navigating the city itself. Republic City was a sprawling metropolis home to fourteen million souls and encompassing seven boroughs and multiple sub-levels. Trying to locate a very specific individual in such a massive space would be a gargantuan task. _And our only resources for finding him are me, Ismail, and the Sages._

 **Guys, this is my first story. Constructive criticism is welcome!** **Feel free to leave a review. This is my first time posting here.**

 **I just recently made some edits on the first paragraph, where Arzu is talking to the Elders. I have a second chapter in the works.**

 **Edit: Formatting**


	2. Chapter 1

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Chapter 1

 _Four years ago…_

The sound of shattering glass rang in Ismail's ears. He hardly noticed the prickly shards cutting his flesh or the aching bruise on his shoulder as he picked himself up. Sprawled next to him were the two stirring forms of Mei and Han. Han rolled over. "Damnit Ismail, I knew we shouldn't have taken that jump!"

"You didn't say anything about it!"

"I said we should consider other options!"

"That wasn't a 'no.'"

"It wasn't a 'yes' either," said Mei as she picked herself up. The three of them brushed themselves off. Ismail walked toward a door in the warehouse where they'd crash landed. The buzz of adrenaline was still coursing through his body, making his movements shaky. He loved that feeling. Ismail looked at Han. "You got the loot?"

"Yup!" Han held up his bag containing stolen credits. "We're cashing in tonight boys!" he said as he slapped Ismail on the back. The muffled whine of police sirens could be heard in the distance. "Don't celebrate yet guys," Mei said. "We still haven't lost'em."

"We gotta get out of here before they catch up," said Ismail. Han stood up. "I know the way from here. Follow me."

The three of them exited the warehouse into the brisk, lonely streets of nighttime Kashi and began to jog toward the outskirts of town, where their "safehouse" was located. Han provided a dim light with his firebending, casting an eerie glow on the empty streets. "Put that out!" Ismail hissed. "They'll see us."

"Relax man, I've done this before. They don't really patrol this part of town. And we don't wanna get lost in the dark," Han responded.

Mei seemed to be lost in thought under the soft glow of Han's flame. Her blue eyes were focused somewhere on the ground. "Hey." Ismail got her attention. "Mei, is everything alright?"

"I'm just thinking about the household," she murmured. Mei had five younger siblings to take care of. "Don't worry 'bout it Mei," Han said with a wide grin. "Once we split this up, you'll have enough to buy a lifetime-supply of candy for Chang-An."

"It's not that-I'm worried about Asha. I think he's been dealing with the Jade Streeters again." Asha was Mei's older brother. The three of them climbed over the fence surrounding Kashi Reservation and dropped into an overgrown field. They paused to catch their breath. "You already spoke to him about all of this right?" Ismail asked. "I mean-"

She cut him off. "We had a fight last night. He said I didn't need to get involved and that he'd handle the loose ends on his own."

"We'll all have a talk with him then," Han said cheerfully. But he shook his head and quietly muttered, "Poor guy's too deep in it now." At the end of the overgrown field was an abandoned toolshed that acted as their safehouse. As they all walked in, Ismail flicked on the lights while Mei opened one of the supply lockers. "What are you gonna do with your share, Ismail?" Han asked.

"You guys can have it. You need it more than I do."

"You… You sure? After all the trouble we went through?"

"Yeah, trust me."

Han dropped their loot on a workbench. His sleeve rode up, exposing a spot of darkened flesh on his forearm that was beginning to yellow. Ismail frowned; Han didn't show any sign of being affected by the bruise. Han looked at him. "What?"

"Han…your arm…"

"Oh this? It's an old wound dude, don't worry 'bout it." Ismail spoke in a hushed voice, "It's your father, isn't it?" Han turned away and sighed. Ismail and Mei looked at each other, and slowly walked up to him. Mei reached out to him. "Han...?"

"I-I'm fine… I just…"

He coughed and started shaking, racked by sobs with tears streaming from his closed eyes. He buried his head in his arms and brought his knees to his chest, hiding from the outside world. Mei rubbed his back comfortingly. The three of them sat down on the floor, cloaked in silence and bathed in the light of the bare bulb hanging from the ceiling.

Time passed, but Ismail was unaware of how much. Han's sobs were interspersed by creaks from the floorboards and chirps from the crickets outside, but other than that there was an uneasy silence.

Han's sobs eventually quieted, though his head remained buried in his hands. It had begun to shower outside. The patter of raindrops emanated from the walls of the shed, but that did little to fill the awkward air. Mei looked over at Ismail. "Ismail?"

"Yeah, what's up?"

"When you said you didn't need the money… Did you mean it? "

"Yeah. I don't need it at all."

"It's 'cause you're the Paladin, right?"

"Yup."

"Then why do you risk your butt pulling these stunts with us? We appreciate the help, but the Paladin of the Sun Warriors can't go around stealing things. You're supposed to be the hero."

 _Supposed to be the hero…_ Ismail didn't know how to respond. There were several reasons why he "risked his butt" with Mei and Han, but he could only describe how he felt at the moment. Unsteadily, he made his reply.

"We've all known each other when we were little, right?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Then," Ismail concluded, "I gotta stick with you guys. Because it's what friends do. Gosh that sounded cheesy."

Mei smiled faintly and snorted. "Oh spirits," she sighed. "It's not that simple."

 _But it_ is _that simple._

While Ismail got special privileges, such as being unrestricted by ration cards when it came to getting large sums of food, Mei and her family could barely feed themselves. She needed the money to buy rations from Kuzon's black market. Han, meanwhile, just wanted to get away from his father. Kuzon's social services were overtaxed due to the war, but he wasn't looking for a foster family. Han planned on using the money to run away from home.

There was another reason why Ismail snuck out every week to meet with Mei and Han: he desperately wanted to escape from the back-breaking, mind-numbing training regiment the Elders put him through. Ismail once thought that training to use a magical sword would be, to put it in the words of his nine-year-old self, "cool and awesome." But in reality, the Sword of Ran and Shaw, or the Sword of the Dragons as it was commonly called, sapped him physically and mentally. Sharp focus and a sound mind was required to wield the legendary sword. Besides, what use were his sword and position as the Paladin if he couldn't use them to help his best friends? Didn't the spirits choose him to help people?

Han sat up and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Alright," he said. "Let's split this up." He had picked up the bag of credits, the sum of multiple cash register raids. There was a rustling noise outside, like someone was scuffing their feet over dried grass. They all froze.

"Ismail, turn out the lights," Mei ordered in a whisper. In the darkness they waited.

There was a strange sniffling, sucking sound from somewhere outside the shed, followed by unintelligible voices. Han lit up a small ball of flame in his hand. Mei vigorously motioned to him to put out the fire, but he shook his head. Ismail was sweating buckets and his pulse seemed to pound his eardrums. _1...2…3…4...5…_ He counted in his head to stay calm. _6...7...8…_

The voices grew louder, as did the sniffing sounds. There was a rapping noise on the shed door, which sounded like a thunderclap to its occupants. A booming metallic voice, probably from a megaphone, came in from the outside: "This is the Kashi Night Patrol. Come out! We know you're in there!" Ismail's eyes frantically searched Han's face for instructions. _Should we respond? Should we stay silent? What should we do?_ Han's eyes met his. _Stay silent. They'll pass._

"You have five seconds to respond!" The megaphoned voice said.

"Five…"

Ismail felt his body was frozen stiff.

"Four…"

Mei braced herself behind a footlocker.

"Three…"

The fireball in Han's hand grew in intensity. Ismail could feel the heat while kneeling next to him.

"Two…"

Everyone held their breath

"One!"

The wooden door of the shed exploded.

* * *

Chief Koh was livid when she heard about what happened. Ismail explained to her why Mei and Han needed the money. Then she was no longer livid, but merely furious. Due to his status as the Paladin, Ismail was pardoned on account of him being an "unintentional accomplice," whatever that meant. Mei was sentenced to six months of community service, but her family's position on the ration-card priority list was moved up. Han was also sentenced to community service. However, he was forced to stay with his father. Three months after their arrests, Han committed suicide.

 _Supposed to be a hero huh?_

* * *

 **My latest chapter. tell me what you guys think about it! The next chapter is in the works.**

 **Edit: Formatting**


	3. Chapter 2

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Chapter 2

 _Present day…_

"We have already prepared the next course of action, Ismail," said Chief Koh. "In one month, when your training is finished, you and our Shaman will head to Republic City. Arzu will act as your spiritual guide-she will explain that to you later. The two of you are to meet up with our friend in the Fire Sages and begin the search for the Avatar."

"Of course, in the unlikely event that the Fire Sages find him within the month, you are simply to convince him to help us," Chief Hong interjected.

" Yes. In the meantime, Arzu will head to the State Building to deliver a speech to the United Republic. Hopefully they can end this civil war. Any questions?"

It all sounded simple to Ismail. Koh did not mention any sort of battles or trials for him; the whole thing seemed more suited to an ambassador rather than the Paladin of the Sun Warriors. _I spent seven years of my life training for life-and-death situations,_ Ismail ruminated, _please tell me I didn't just waste seven years of my life for this._ He did have many questions for Koh, though. "How am I supposed to look for a single person in fraggin' _Republic City_?" If any of the Elders were offended by Ismail's usage of a mild expletive, they did not show it. Chief Hong replied. "You will not be finding her alone-the Fire Sages will aid you. Their temples are attuned to the spirit energy within the Avatar, which should be amplified in the presence of the spirit portal within Republic City. The Fire Sages want the civil war in their homeland to end, so we have a common interest in seeking the Avatar."

"We're placing all our hopes on their word," Ismail said flatly.

Chief Koh sighed. "We have no other choice."

"Why do I have to be there then? Why not have the Fire Sages send him over if they're so invested?"

Chief Hong and Chief Koh looked at each other uncomfortably. "And suppose we find the Avatar," Ismail continued. "Then what? He's not gonna be a fully-fledged Avatar. He's probably going to be a scared little kid-I mean, are we just supposed to drag him here and force him to fix our problems? What about the White Lotus?"

Chief Koh grimaced, clearly thinking about what to say. "I'll explain," said Chief Hong. "Ismail, Republic City is an extremely dangerous place. There are… certain groups of people who want the Avatar for themselves. We have no idea where the White Lotus is, or what they're doing, so their help is out of the question. I think-"

"Wait, just who wants the Avatar?"

"These are just rumors, but we think fringe groups like the Ember Order and the Sea Wolves are looking for him. Even if they aren't, their mere presence in Republic City makes it dangerous."

 _The Ember Order? I've heard that name before… It was on the news I think?_

"Those are political organizations though. Aren't they technically legal?" one of the other Elders asked.

"I don't care about the technicalities, they're _paramilitary_ political organizations with shady backgrounds" said Chief Hong, aghast. She turned back to Ismail. "As I was saying, Republic City is very dangerous. There is a lot of unrest, though not as much as here, and someone's been targeting the Fire Sages. As the Paladin of the Sun Warriors, wielder of the Sword of Ran and Shaw, your mission is to protect both the Sages and the Avatar from any threats." There was a small pause. "Any more questions?"

Ismail shook his head.

"Good," Chief Hong said. "Arzu will speak with you about her role, and then you can be on your way."

Realistically, Ismail was the only person the Elders _could_ send to Republic City. Aside from Arzu, there were very few firebenders left within the Red Hills tribe, and most were either children who had just discovered their abilities, or men and women too old to fight. In fact, there were very few healthy men and women between twenty and forty years old left, bender or not. Emigration, disease, starvation and of course the ever-present conscription had taken their toll. Ismail's generation was the flower of the tribe; their last hope to recover and flourish, and only Ismail had been trained to access the power within the Sword of the Dragons.

* * *

As the meeting ended Arzu walked up to Ismail. For all the importance she had in shaping his life, she had only met him a handful of times. He still resembled the child in her dream, though he was obviously older and taller. His gray eyes betrayed a feeling of weariness and bitterness, channeled through an intense gaze. In the span of a heartbeat, Arzu felt… guilty. She had doomed him to his life as the Paladin, the seventh one in the history of the Sun Warriors. _I wish you had a choice in all this._ "Alright, as your spiritual guide, I'm gonna help you navigate your way through the Spirit Wilds in Republic City," Arzu explained. "I'll also help you communicate with them so you can ask for help-or get to safety if things get sticky."

"What d'you mean by _sticky?_ "

"Y'know, tough or dangerous."

"No, I mean why would the spirits attack us? I thought relations between us and them were good?" Arzu drew a deep sigh. _Oooh boy, how am I supposed to explain all the complicated post-Korra stuff that's happened?_ "Well," she began, "to put it simply, a lot of them hate us for destroying their homes and taking their spirit vines."

"Sounds reasonable if you ask me."

"Yeah. By the way Ismail… how are you feeling? About the whole Paladin business?" Immediately after asking this question Arzu mentally facepalmed. _You ask him_ now, _after he's spent seven years of his life training for this?_

"Well, aside from the monotonous back-breaking work, soul-crushing solitude, lack of free will, and knowledge that I might die on this job, it's not so bad. Food's good I guess. It's nice not having to use ration cards." His eyes were looking down as he said the words with only a slight hint of sourness. Ismail sounded more defeated than sarcastic. "It'll all be good once we get the Avatar," Arzu said unsteadily. She had no idea what "it" was, or what "good" meant, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.

There were few further words between them. The two of them shook hands and said their goodbyes, scheduled to meet each other again in one month. Jin met her on the way out of the town hall. "We've got a call to mediate between farmers and spirits down by the river."

* * *

As Uncle Sai wished, Ismail met with Zane to make amends.

"Listen man, I had no idea Mei would flip out! I swear I was just jokin' around, tryin' to reach out. Look Ismail, I never meant any of that." It was a bit hard for Zane to speak due to his swollen cheek. The injuries Ismail inflicted on him seemed to have tempered his earlier bullying mood, Still, Ismail fixed Zane with a sharp, hard stare. "You made fun of her family," he growled. "Zane, you have no idea what she's going through." _Calm thoughts, Ismail. Think calm thoughts… Butterflies, um, ice cream, bubblegum…_

"Okay, okay," backpedaled Zane, waving his unbroken right arm, "So I might've brought up her brother-"

 _Son of a bitch!_

"-being in jail after she got mad at me for making a run with the Jade Streeters. That was wrong," he admitted.

"'Making a run?'" Ismail was incredulous. "Don't give me that crap!" _Butterflies...ice cream...bubblegum...happy thoughts..._ "You were probably extorting some folks or running a protection racket."

Surprisingly, Zane's expression hardened. "That's a bit hypocritical coming from a petty thief," he hissed.

"I was trying to help my friends!" Ismail spat. "You did everything for yourself! And you actually _hurt_ people."

Zane flung up his right arm as if to surrender. "Look, I swear, I was just trying to make some quick cash smuggling stuff. I stopped hurting guys after that thing happened at the cafe."

 _Asha was also trying to "make some quick cash smuggling stuff."_ _Why is he in jail and not you?_ The truth was, Ismail already knew the answer to that. Zane was a favorite among the Elders, a rising star in their eyes. Some of them believed that he, not Ismail, should have been chosen as the Paladin. It helped that he was one of the tribe's few remaining able-bodied firebenders, while Ismail was a nonbender. _Maybe that's it._

"Zane, you've always wanted to be the Paladin haven't you?"

"Huh?" Zane's eyebrows shot up. He was frozen for a moment. "K-Kinda," he stammered at last.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

"Of what?"

"Of me," Ismail pointed at himself, "a nonbender who got chosen over the tribe's pre-eminent firebender. That's why you've been harassing me and my friends."

Zane clenched his jaw, his fist, and seemingly every other muscle in his body into a wound-up coil. Normally this would have looked downright intimidating. Zane's broken arm, comically-swollen cheek and myriad of other injuries made him look like a child who had scraped his leg and was trying to hide the fact that he was crying.

"It's not fair," he breathed.

"You're right," Ismail said quietly.

"Every kid grows up wanting to be the Paladin…"

"No kid deserves to be handed this job. No kid deserves to be sent into danger and possibly die."

There was silence for a moment. "You don't like it?" asked Zane tentatively.

Ismail drew the Sword of Ran and Shaw from its sheath and examined it. "Being the 'Chosen One' isn't all they make it out to be. It never is," he said.

His sword had a circular silver pommel. Its grip consisted of a metal core encased in spirit-vine wood and wrapped in russet colored dragon-leather. The guard consisted of two intertwined steel dragons, one red and one black, meant to represent Ran and Shaw. The blade was about eighty centimeters long, straight, double-edged and colored in a dull silver. On the flat of the blade, three characters were inscribed into the metal: Sun, Moon, and Earth.

Ismail presented the sword to Zane. "Wanna take a look?"

"Wha-what!?"

"It doesn't bite. Well, not if you're just holding it."

Zane gingerly reached for the sword and stroked it, as one would stroke a kitten. He looked at Ismail with pleading eyes. "May I?"

* * *

"This _human_ has been stealing my trees!" Tai said. Tai was a slender, gnarled and rather dry-looking oak spirit. A tree person basically, and a rather distressed one at that. "You must punish this thief at once!" He shrilled. "My poor, poor trees…Oh, will someone think of the poor saplings?"

 _Oh the humanity._ Arzu was thankful that oak spirit mouths apparently didn't have saliva. If they did, there would be spittle all over her face. The "thief" in question was some yokel farmer named Wang. _Full name's probably Wang Fire or something._ He was from Yichin village, twelve miles southwest from Kashi town and seven miles from the "no man's land" that bordered Monarchist and Republican territory.

"Now lookee here, tree-boy," Wang said. "I wus' jus' gatherin' sum supplies fer rebuildin' my cattle fence. Old one got blown all tuh' hell last week. Now quit bein' so stingy; I didn't mean tuh' harm you none."

"Stingy? This _human_ stole half of my babies. Thirty-five of my children." Tai was hysterical. "I risked life and limb for them!" Arzu raised a brow and looked at Wang.

"You need thirty-five trees to _repair a fence?_ "

Wang rubbed his unkempt beard. "Waal," he said with a shrug, "big portion of mah old fence got exploded. I alreadeh tol' you this didn't I?"

"Exploded? By what?"

"I'm not entahrly sure. One evenin' I wus' jus' mindin' my business, spendin' time with tha' family. Jus' after w'ate dinner, we heard sumthin' like a thunder storm jus' outside. Bright flashes too, like fireworks. It went on for an hour an' scared the livin' daylights outta us. Tha next day, when I went ta' check what it wus,' I saw large smokin' craters where mah fence wus."

Arzu and Wang walked through the fields of Wang's farm in Yichin. Wang pointed towards a dip in the ground vivisected by a patch of land slightly darker in color than its surroundings.

"That's where thuh fence wus.'"

The fence had been situated next to a small stream known as Cattail Creek, beyond which lay the old Imperial Road leading into the Dragon Mountains. As Arzu approached the dip, she saw that the whole area had been pockmarked with craters, some more than five feet wide. Everything around the craters was charred black. _This place was hit pretty hard._ Arzu picked up a strange object from the ground-it was a metal fragment, clearly man-made. _Only spirit-energy based ordnance could cause this much damage._ _Collateral from_ _stray artillery shells? No, the craters are too close together; this area must've been a deliberate target._

The skirmishes had intensified over the past month, but Arzu never thought they would get this close to Kashi.

* * *

It could be heard before it was seen. The hum of engines and the clanking of equipment preceded the long column of military vehicles rolling into Kuzon. Young children, unaware of the gravity of the situation, pointed in awe at the convoy on the Imperial Road.

It was a serpentine machine, menacing but fascinating to the youngsters who had never seen such contraptions. For the past decade, the Civil War had meant constant small-scale raids, meant to steal food or press-gang civilians. The adults quickly grabbed their sons and daughters, fearful for their safety; temple priests prayed to their ancestors for protection. They understood that this was no mere raiding force, for the column stretched on for several miles.

To be sure, both the Republicans and Monarchists had set up strongholds in Kuzon, but most were in the peripheral foothills rather than the heavily populated plains. As expected, the Republicans set up shop in the townships, while the Monarchists ingratiated themselves with the large landowners in the countryside. There were chronic skirmishes and firefights between the two, but nothing involving more than a thousand fighters on either side.

The arrival of the large column signaled that that was about to change. Truly, war had come to Kuzon.

* * *

 **Here it is guys! Remember, I appreciate all forms of feedback. I'll be working on the next chapter soon!**

 **Edit: Added on a new scene.**

 **Edit: Elaborated on Wang's description.**


	4. Chapter 3

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Chapter 3

Paper money…Check. Tangerines...Check. Incense...Check. Broom...Check. Koh finished her inventory and shouldered her backpack. She began walking towards Kashi Temple, admiring the pink cherry blossom trees lining the path as she went. _This was the correct spot,_ she thought solemnly. _He would have loved this place._ The Temple Priest bowed his head respectfully to her.

"Welcome back, Chief Koh."

Koh nodded politely and wordlessly. She found the headstone she was looking for, a demure tablet that said, "Here lies Adil, son of Alim and Koh." A picture of her son, youthful and handsome, his face embellishing a childish grin, hung just above the tablet. Koh gently cleaned the shrine with her broom, laid out the tangerines in an urn, and lit the incense she had brought with her. The paper money would be burned later, as an offering. _Why did you have to leave so soon?_ she wondered, stroking the tablet. In the picture, Adil was dressed in his crisp new military uniform, which he had received after volunteering to fight for the Republican Army. She and her husband repeatedly begged him not to go, telling him that the war was none of their business. He responded by telling his parents that it might not be _their_ business, but it was certainly his.

"This is going to decide the future of the Fire Nation, what kind of life my kids will have," he said adamantly."I'm not just gonna sit it out." He then proceeded to puff out his chest, like he was challenging a playground bully. But his fierce gray eyes indicated beyond a doubt that he was serious.

 _It seemed like such a short while ago._ It had been nine years since Adil left this world.

"A lot of things have changed, Adil," Koh whispered to her son. "Our turtleduck pond dried up, but I keep feeding the ones by the river. Putao had a new litter of puppies; we gave some to the Zhangs. They're adorable-you should see them." She desperately fought back her tears. "And those kids you used to play with, they're all grown up. You remember Ismail and Arzu? Arzu's the Shaman now, and doing a fine job. She'd also make a great Chief too. And Ismail's the Paladin… Not gonna lie, the kid's a handful. He's pretty temperamental, but deep down he's more sensitive than he lets on. " _I wish he could see them now._

Koh could think of nothing else to say, so she bid her son farewell and burned the money. As she exited the temple, her phone rang. It was Sai calling.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Chief, we've found something important. It's urgent. Arzu's explaining everything in the Council Room."

* * *

It had been a day since Arzu's attempt at mediating between Tai and Wang led to her discovering the battle site. Now, the spirit-human dispute would have to wait. Arzu stood in front of an assembly of Elders, from Kashi Reservation; and Council Deputies, from Kashi Town, explaining what she had seen in Yichin village.

Eyes widened. Eyebrows rose. Hushed, anxious whispers permeated throughout the room.

"What would they be doing so close to Kashi?"

"Some folks said they saw a huge military convoy on the Imperial Road."

"Was the convoy Monarchist or Republican?"

"Who knows? Who cares?"

"If they're Republican, we should welcome them."

"Bah! Why should we invite those rabble-rousers into Kashi? At least the Monarchists would keep things stable!"

"Stable? The Monarchy treated us like cattle!"

"You don't honestly belie-"

"Why would you support them!? They're-"

"They're _what?_ "

"Stop interrupt-"

"Can we all just-"

"I'm hungry. When's lunch?"

" **Everyone. Quiet."** The words were not loud, but they fell on everyone like blocks of iron. Amid the audience, Arzu could see the willowy figure of Chief Koh standing tall. _Commanding as usual._ "We must take turns talking. Now, who would like to go first?" the Chief said as if lecturing children.

There was complete silence.

Chief Koh shrugged. "I'll be first to speak then." Assemblies in the Council Room were usually orderly, but today there had been no time to set up discussion rules due to the urgency of Arzu's report.

She cleared her throat. "We'll need more information before we can decide what to do. Arzu, did you see anything indicating how many people were involved? Was it just a raid, or was it an actual battle?"

"Judging by the destruction, I'd say it was a pretty big fight. There was debris all around Cattail Creek, mostly shell fragments. It must've been from spirit-energy weapons."

"Did you see anything else? Any bodies or vehicles or equipment?"

"There was a helmet. It didn't have markings though. I also found some spirit-rifle magazines and bandages, but that was it. There's a crew up there right now investigating further."

"Good." Chief Koh turned to address the Elders and Council Deputies around her. "I propose we mobilize the Provincial Guard and call up the militia for patrols around Yichin. We need to make sure the fighting stays far away from Kashi itself. While we're at it, we can also take this chance to counter the press-gang and requisitions raids that have been going on. It'll be hard with so few firebenders at our disposal, but our intimate knowledge of this area should make up for that."

"We have nowhere near enough manpower for that" said Jiro, one of the Council Deputies.

"We would, if my tribesmen and your townsfolk pooled their manpower into a single group as I suggested last year. That way, we'll be able to cover the entire north-south boundary of the plains."

"Guarding the entire plain would mean spreading our manpower everywhere, which means we'll be weak everywhere. We cannot possibly defend every single settlement, Chief. Besides, if there are Republican forces around, we should take this opportunity to end our isolation by reaching out to them to secure their good faith." Several of his fellow Council Deputies nodded in agreement, while others passively listened, and a few shook their heads.

Arzu herself was open to the idea. The restoration of central authority might mean access to greater resources and an end to the hated ration card system.

Chief Koh pressed her lips together. "If I'm not mistaken, we decided we would remain neutral in this conflict-at least outwardly-years ago."

"We decided that back when it seemed like the Fire Lord would win," Jiro said. "But things have changed now, and the war is on our doorstep. Now is the time to make a choice."

The Chief gave an exhausted sigh, and looked squarely at Arzu. "Let's hear our Shaman's opinion," she said. "Arzu, what do you think we should do?"

 _Oh boy,_ she thought. "Okay, first of all, we don't even know who's been fighting near Kashi. It might not be the Monarchy or the Republic; for all we know it could just be local warlords." _Though that's unlikely._ "I think we should send scouts across Cattail Creek and get some more info on these people."

"Sounds good," the Chief said thoughtfully. "This would also be a good chance to inundate our Paladin with some field experience-"

A shout balcony cut her off. "You can't send Ismail out, he's not ready!" It was Sai, Ismail's Uncle.

* * *

"Aaagh! NOOOOOO!"

Ismail pretended to pitch over in pain as little Chang-An "ambushed" him. The ten-year-old proceeded to celebrate his "kill" with a triumphant victory cry that sounded like a baby sky-bison squealing.

Mei gave an exasperated sigh. "Will you guys stop messing around?" she said as she loaded rations into her basket.

Ismail shrugged innocently. "I can't help it. This is supposed to be my break time y'know?" He'd decided to spend today's hour-long break from Paladin training by helping Mei and Chang-An get groceries.

"If you wanna play with my kid brother, take it outside. If you wanna help me with get stuff , stop playing arou-Chang-An _don't eat that._ " Mei quickly grabbed the cup of raw flour from his hands before he could dump it in his mouth.

"Oh, alright fine." Ismail grabbed a crate of canned goods that Mei wanted him to carry and turned to Chang-An. "Sorry pal. Can't play right now." Chang-An, of course, responded with his usual "awww _man."_

Mei had her ration cards checked off. "Hey, I heard you and Zane had a talk." she said to Ismail.

"Yeah. I'd say our relationship's been upgraded from seething with contempt for each other to him sort-of awkwardly admiring me, and me ignoring him."

"Admiring?"

"He wanted to be the Paladin. Long story short, he tormented us because he was jealous."

"That's...Wow."

Ismail scoffed. "Wish I knew that letting him play with my sword would've solved this whole thing."

Chang-An's eyes widened. "You let someone see your sword!? Can _I_ see it?" he pleaded.

"There's no way I'm giving my sword to a hyperactive ten-year old."

"But you're leaving in, like, a month. Can I see it before you go?"

The Elders had explicitly said he was going to Republic City in a month during their meeting yesterday. But only now did the full force of this knowledge hit Ismail. _Leaving...in a month...to a place I've only heard of…_ Ismail kneeled down to face Chang-An. "Yeah I'm leaving soon. But I won't be gone for long I promise. Once I find the Avatar and get back, I'll let you hold it, alright?"

Chang-An nodded.

Ismail's blue wrist pad suddenly lit up. "Ismail, your Uncle's hailing you," Naomi said. "He wants you to get to the town hall. They're assembling the militia."

Ismail looked at Mei and Chang-An. "Sounds urgent." He looked at the crate of rations in his hands. "So, do you want me to-"

Mei lightly punched his shoulder. "I can take those. You're the hero; go get'em."

##########

When Ismail arrived at the town hall, he was greeted by Uncle Sai and Chief Koh. They appeared to have just ended an argument, for there was a deliberate and uneasy distance between them. Chief Koh told him how Arzu had discovered signs of a violent skirmish near Yichin, how eyewitnesses had seen a column of military vehicles enter Kuzon, and how she was sending scouts to investigate the outer perimeter.

"I want you to join one of the patrols," she said.

Ismail nodded. "I'm in."

For the first time in his life, Ismail saw a surprised expression on Chief Koh's face. She blinked. "You're in...Just like that?"

"Yeah."

There was an equally shocked expression on Uncle Sai's face. "Ismail, are you sure about this?" he asked. "There's a high chance you'll be put in danger."

"Trust me, I'm not saying I wanna risk my neck," Ismail said as he glanced dolefully at Chief Koh. "But...if what she says is true...I'll go. For the sake of my friends." _No time to complain if_ _my home is in danger._

* * *

 **Don't forget to review!**

 **How do you guys like the characters and story so far?**


	5. Chapter 4

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Chapter 4

The silver blade sliced through the night air silently like a swallow's wing, but with a discernible momentum- a feeling of force. Ismail could feel his chi being channeled into the Sword of Ran and Shaw, as if it were a limb. In front of him floated several holographic targets, projected from his datapad by Naomi.

Ismail thrusted and slashed and pirouetted with the sword, honing down years of muscle memory. He was more used to its draining effects now. He could wield the sword continuously for hours, whereas his nine-year-old self would have tired out after wielding it for thirty minutes. Ismail had grown to tolerate nightly practice in the courtyard of his home, as the practice seemed to absorb him. In that moment, his life, his being, was the blade. Tomorrow, he would be sent out to patrol the Kuzon perimeter-maybe his first look at the war up close.

As a rule, non-benders lacked enough open chi pathways to bend the elements. However, it was said that non-benders could still bend the energy within themselves, albeit with even more difficulty than a bender. The Sword of the Dragons acted as a chi conduit, drawing chi from its wielder's open pathways and concentrating it in a single vessel. There, after years of training and attunement, it could be manipulated and channeled via the sword's three symbols: Sun, Earth, and Moon.

In a single smooth deliberate movement, Ismail destroyed three of the apparition-like targets.

"Pretty good," Naomi commented from Ismail's datapad. "Now let's try a firebender simulation."

Three new holographic targets, in the form of featureless neon-orange mannikins, materialized in front of Ismail. Glowing, pixelated red sprites appeared in their "hands." Ismail took a measured breath. He sharpened his mind and relaxed his body for unity of thought and movement. The closest mannikin to him, six meters away, stepped forward and let loose a bolt of flame. Ismail twirled to the left and the bolt shot past his backside. He could see the two other mannikins quickly advancing forwards to flank him. The leftmost mannikin kicked up his leg and a fireball materialized from its foot-but Ismail was ready.

 _Moon: Redirection_

The symbol of the moon lit up. The Sword of Ran and Shaw projected a partial dome of translucent spirit energy that dispersed the fireball and deflected its flames to the sides. Ismail deactivated the shield, sprinted through the dissipated fireball, and slashed down the leftmost mannikin before it could generate another fireball. The centermost mannikin launched a continuous sheet of flame in his direction. Ismail turned to face it just in time.

 _Earth: Absorption._

The associated symbol on Ismail's sword glowed upon activation. The sheet of flame instantly burned out two feet away from its blade as the sword absorbed the chi propelling it.

 _Sun: Projection_

The final symbol lit up and Ismail swung his sword. A fireball shot forth from the blade as the absorbed chi was released, its energy manifesting as an intense heat that superheated the air. It slammed into into the center mannikin which immediately dissolved into pixelated fragments. The last mannikin charged him while repeatedly throwing fire blasts. These Ismail easily sidestepped as he leapt forward, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. He ducked under the last fireball and slashed his sword in a wide arc, bisecting and destroying the last target.

"Simulation over," Naomi announced.

Ismail immediately sat down where he'd stood. A slight tiredness washed over him, but he had done well overall since he still had substantial chi reserves within him.

"You're a lot more efficient than you used to be."

"Thanks Naomi."

There was a sound of footsteps.

 _At this hour?_ Ismail turned around to see Chief Koh leaning on the wooden courtyard columns.

Chief Koh gave a friendly wave. "Hey Ismail."

Ismail stood up. "Hey."

"I'm surprised you didn't object to joining the patrols."

"I already told you why."

"Listen… I know this community has placed a huge burden on your shoulders. It hasn't always treated you well- _I_ haven't always treated you well. I know I should have done more for Han..."

Ismail could not think of anything to say. He was frozen, torn between anguish and a tired, exhausted acceptance.

"I just want you to know," Chief Koh said, "that the society you're fighting for values you. I wish my son could have inherited a better world, but, well, we adults screwed things up. You're a great warrior, Ismail, but I know-and this is more important-that you're a good person. You and your generation-you're our hope for a better future."

The air in the courtyard was still, almost vacuum-like. Wordlessly, Chief Koh slowly turned around and walked out of the courtyard.

"No pressure!" Naomi said cheerfully.

* * *

 _The next day_

The early-morning mist cloaked the Kuzon countryside, muffling not just noise but movement itself. The very earth and trees were asleep. No one, in the mountains or in the plains, saw or heard the peculiar group of twenty-five green figures stalk through the foothills near Cattail Creek. Clad in ceramic body armor, camouflaged battledress, and tactical webbing, they looked more like possessed statues than human beings.

Each of them carried a spirit-rifle in their arms, a weapon that, as its name suggested, was powered by spirit energy. This energy was extracted from spirit vines encased in special magazines. The Type-19 spirit rifle was essentially a miniaturized and refined version of the device Kuvira had used more than seventy years ago in her attack on Republic City. It could fire up to twenty shots consecutively before needing to reload.

The leader of the green figures, a Major who'd decided to take personal charge, held up his right hand. The column stopped and hunkered down in knee-high elephant grass. The Major knelt down and scanned the expansive countryside with a pair of binoculars. The fog was beginning to burn off. Ahead, Cattail Creek ran through a ravine surrounded by a lush copse. There had been a large skirmish with Republican forces in the vicinity several days ago, leaving the ground pockmarked with craters. Should the platoon take a cautious approach? The Major ordered his men to advance. The creek was four hundred meters away.

The elephant grass rippled under a slight breeze.

Flies hovered around the faces of the twenty-five sweaty, steamy figures.

The entire horizon shimmered with an oily haze from the midsummer heat.

The Major could see it now. A metal wire fence ran along the creek and up and down the ravine, from the northeast to the southwest. This fence marked the outer boundaries of Kashi's "neutral zone," and was interspersed with checkpoints wherever it intersected a road. Kashi, for all its talk of playing neutral in the conflict ("We will not side with one brother against another" said one of their deputies), was known to have a largely pro-Republic populace. This backwater town apparently favored democratic rule over the Divine Right of the Fire Lords, a tradition at the heart of the Fire Nation for more than a millenia. Previously Kashi had been ignored due to its peripheral location, but as the war shifted in earnest to the Northwest Provinces due to both sides wanting to exploit the region's resources, it was now an important objective.

The platoon radioman crept up to the front and spoke: "Major Liang, Second Platoon reports that they've reached Point 223."

At these words, the Major ordered his soldiers to halt. "Good," he said to the radioman. "Have Lieutenant Zhang contact the local authorities. Hopefully we can achieve our objectives without bloodshed."

"Yes sir. Glory to the Phoenix."

"Glory to the Phoenix."

The Major looked out across the tranquil, windswept plains. Second Platoon was already in position; the four other non-reserve platoons were moving into positions close to Kashi's self-proclaimed "boundaries." The entire ad-hoc reconnaissance battalion had successfully avoided contact with local militia patrols. So far, so good. It was a pity the war had to move to an refugee haven like Kuzon.

The Major held up his hand and signalled his unit to begin moving out.

 _Hopefully we can achieve our objectives without bloodshed._ He mentally scoffed at these words-at his own words. The entirety of Kuzon province had already been bloodied hundreds of times during the war. Both sides had mounted mechanized chevauchées, launched guerrilla raids, sent press gangs, and enacted small scale violence-assassinations, kidnappings, acts of sabotage, etc-in order to gain a foothold in the region. One more incursion would not change that. Now, however, ownership of the province would be decided once and for all. The Monarchist forces in Kuzon at the moment, the Major's reconnaissance detachment included, numbered about 16,000 men. More were on the way.

If everything went as well _as it could_ , Kashi and the rest of Kuzon Province would be returned into Fire Lord Kali's domain relatively unscathed. If anything _didn't_ go well, the whole region would be razed to the ground. Of course, Kuzon would be neither the first nor the last province to suffer such a fate. Not since the economic collapse and the Equalist revolts twelve years ago.

A column of machines raced towards Kashi, like a scalpel tracing through flesh. All things living-human, spirit, and animal-fled from the vicinity of the metal monsters. A murder of crows scattered, cawing and shrieking. From the smallest squirrelfox to the largest possumbear, it seemed as nature itself was being driven out.

* * *

"Don't you have, like, superpowers or something? Not like a bender though-something different."

Ismail sighed. "No, I don't have 'superpowers.' Not on my own, anyway. My sword has some unique abilities, but those come from the sword itself, not me."

The young man-well, boy really-in the patrol still found that fascinating. "That's so _cool!"_ he breathed. The boy was a scrawny fellow, with wiry arms that seemed comically small for his spirit rifle. It was like a baby palm tree holding giant, full-size coconuts. The boy, like everyone else in the patrol, was dressed in khaki-green fatigues, giving him a superficial semblance of professionalism.

The patrol numbered twenty people, including four firebenders. Two of the firebenders were over forty, and of the remaining two one of them was younger than Ismail. The last firebender and the most physically fit member of them all was Mei's older brother Asha, out "on probation" apparently. The other sixteen men and women were a motley assembly, from white-speckled grandparents to teenagers. Some of the middle-aged folks were policemen, and thus knew how to handle a scrap. At least two had fought in the war, The rest were farmhands, store clerks, nurses, teachers, and construction workers with rudimentary weekend training. They were assembled in a muster field just outside Kashi.

"All right listen up!"

Everyone turned to look at a creased, salt-and-pepper haired man whose skin reminded Ismail of tanned leather hide. This was Captain Ilham, the patrol leader. He'd fought in the civil war a couple years back, on the Republican side.

"As you know, we're heading to check the perimeter around Cattail Creek," Ilham said. "Remember, we're out to investigate and deter, not pick a fight or choose sides. If we encounter any folks looking to get us involved in the war in any way-whether that means joining them or otherwise-we tell'em we're not interested and we put on a show of force to see'em off. Under no circumstances are we to provoke them."

With that, the Captain ordered everyone to make their last equipment checks. Twenty rag-tag khaki figures looked themselves and their comrades over. Some took the time to kneel and silently pray. Then Captain Ilham ordered the patrol to get into formation and prepare to move out. It was mid-morning, sunny with clear blue skies, the air filled with the chattering of cicadas.

* * *

Lieutenant Zhang's message appeared on every single vidscreen in Kuzon:

"Greetings, citizens of Kuzon province. I speak on behalf of Her Majesty's armed forces. We are forces loyal to the legitimate government of the Fire Nation, and we have come here to protect you from the mobs of the so-called 'Republic' and to restore sovereignty on these lands. We thus extend our hand of friendship and cooperation to your local leaders. Our terms for the restoration of Kuzon into the imperial domain are as follows:

1) Trade with areas deemed to be pro-Republican is to cease at once.

2) The laws of the Imperial Court System are, where they differ from those of the local authority, to be considered the supreme law of the land.

3) We have sent intermediaries to coordinate our policies with local authorities

4) Certain resources considered necessary to the war effort are to be diverted to our commissaries. Quotas will be up for discussion later.

5) Local militia groups are to be reorganized and placed under military control and subject to Imperial regulation.

6) Local trade unions are to be dissolved. All workers will fall under the Labor Mobilization Council.

7) The Imperial Conscription Edict is to be re-instituted.

8) Lenient war taxation rates are to be imposed.

9) All benders within the province are to be registered by the Internal Security Bureau.

10) Persons and media supporting the Republic are to be identified and detained/confiscated.

We have no intention inflicting harm upon you in any way. However, any misdeed directed at our soldiers or officials will be met with the appropriate punishment. We look forward to working with you. Glory to the Phoenix."

* * *

 **Hey guys! As usual, I'd like to know how you guys feel about the story and about my writing style. If it's possible, do leave a review!**


	6. Chapter 5

AVATAR: THE LONG ROAD

Chapter 5

"Breathe in… and out…. focus on the rhythm and nothing else…extend your feelings throughout your body… "

Jin's words had a soothing, velvety quality. Arzu focused on the gentle breeze tickling her neck, the soft fibers of her Shaman's robes resting on her arms, and the rush of warm, but dry, air through her nose and into her lungs with every breath.

Shortly before the first patrols had set out, Chief Koh, the other Elders, and the Council Deputies had enacted a series of contingency plans developed in case the war moved to Kuzon. All settlements close to the perimeter were evacuated into Kashi, both the town and the reservation. Arzu had been helping with the evacuations-still going on right now-since before the sun rose. Moving livelihoods was backbreaking work. Now, she was using her brief break time to find-or try to find-peace with the aid of her mentor.

Ah, meditation.

If there was an external distraction, it was the morning sun, which lit the insides of her closed eyes with a fierce golden-red hue. If there was an _internal_ distraction, it was the numerous anxieties that had been gnawing at her mind ever since she'd discovered signs of fighting so close Kashi. The worries and the insecurities drifted down her stream of consciousness like so much flotsam.

 _If the war comes in earnest, all the women and children….the old, young, and weak, they won't be able to survive... it'll be just like last winter…._

 _What if my choice was wrong? Ismail is a kid who's never fought before….and who was denied the chance to choose his own role in society…..then again, so was I….what if we were given our roles based on some great lie, told to reassure people that there was order to the world?_

 _I am Arzu, Shaman of the Red Hills Tribe of the Sun Warriors… we are a dying people looking for a miracle…. we placed our hopes on a moody teenage boy, because he's the closest thing we have to an Avatar….what if it's all a great big lie, told to make us believe that there's order in the world? What if...what if…._

 _What if._

Arzu opened her eyes. She couldn't focus. "Jin?"

"Yes?" Her mentor's eyes stayed closed, his body relaxed.

"Do you think I chose the right person? To save us, I mean?"

Now Jin's eyes slowly opened. He heaved a sigh. "I think you should put this question to rest-"

"Please. I _need_ to know what you think-"

"I'll say it again: what I think doesn't matter. You were given a message from the Guardian Spirits, Arzu. If that boy-Ismail-is truly what you gleaned from it, then that is that. You did your best making sense of the vision, and that is all we could ask for."

"Okay, what do you think about the spirits' choice then?"

Jin scratched his beard thoughtfully. "The Guardian Spirits work in mysterious ways," he said after a pause.

Arzu rolled her eyes and emitted an exasperated groan. "That's _not_ an answer…."

"I'm being serious!" Jin retorted. "It's difficult for us humans to understand them."

A cascade of footsteps suddenly drifted in from the outside. A breathless errand-boy broke into the pavillion where she and Jin had been meditating. Drops of sweat fell from his face.

"We've just received a broadcast from outside," he panted. "It's the Monarchists! Everyone's watching it right now in the town hall. C'mon!."

Arzu and Jin looked at each other and got up. Arzu could feel a steadily growing pit in her stomach.

 _Looks like my break's been cut short._

Arzu summoned her spirit companion, Ting, with a whistle. With her and Jin on the back, they bounded off towards the town hall.

It seemed everyone in Kashi-young and old-were packed in the central atrium. The datapad situated in the reception area was playing the news. "TALKS BETWEEN FIRE NATION MONARCHISTS AND REPUBLICANS BREAK DOWN DESPITE UNITED REPUBLIC MEDIATION," the headline read. But the people in the atrium weren't looking at the datapad. They were clustered below the enormous, modern-looking vidscreen hanging on the atrium wall, often berated for clashing with the hall's traditionalist Sun Warrior theme. Hundreds of worried whispers emanated from the crowd.

The screen displayed the insignia of the Fire Nation Royal Family-a phoenix taking flight in a ball of flame-while someone spoke in an authoritative tone. "Our terms for the restoration of Kuzon into the imperial domain are as follows," the voice announced. The screen switched to a list of the "terms."

There was an audible series of gasps, of creaking chairs as people sat down in shock, and of more worried whispers.

"We barely have any people left to conscript. The healthy ones have already been taken!" Those were the mothers and fathers.

"We can't give up any more grain! We'll all starve!" said the farmers.

Pro-Republican folks hissed "Damn Monarchists!" under their breath and clenched their fists.

Monarchist supporters, if there were any, remained quiet for fear of incurring the wrath of the crowd.

Regardless of the specifics, the general feeling in the air was that of dread. Everyone knew that numerous towns outside of Kashi's "neutrality" perimeter had been razed to the ground as the Republic and Monarchy fought to control them. A strong Monarchist presence in Kashi would invariably draw a strong Republican response.

The end of the broadcast was sudden. For several moments, a deafening silence washed over the frozen crowd.

There was utter nothingness for five seconds

Slowly, people started trickling off, heading home to speak with their families. Arzu saw Chief Koh, Chief Hong, and Sai walking towards her and Jin amid the dispersing throng.

Chief Koh's expression was grim, with lips pressed together. Yet her crystal clear blue eyes said she was sharply focused and determined. "We need to talk," she said. "We've got to speak to the Monarchists. Also, there's been a change of plans regarding your mission to Republic City."

* * *

The patrol, spread out into a loose skirmish line, set out from its assembly area towards Kashi's outer perimeter. The twenty militiamen were divided into four sections of five, each led by a sergeant. All of them, bender or not, carried a spirit rifle.

The militiamen combed through the outlying wheat fields. Ismail was tucked in the center of the formation. He had been assigned to this position randomly, not because he was special. Aside from the the enthusiastic kid who thought he had superpowers, few people in the patrol cared that he was Paladin. Most thought he was just another kid chosen to go on watch.

Someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Long time no see, Ismail."

Ismail whirled around to see a somewhat familiar face in fatigues. The young man was tanned and lean. Clean cut with burning brown eyes, and a sad shadow of a smile. Almost unrecognizable from the Triad member and self-proclaimed "thug" Ismail last saw many years ago.

"Hey Asha. Long time no see."

"How are Mei and the kids doing? I hear they're better off now."

"They're doing fine. Saw them yesterday, actually."

"You still playing hero, Izzy?"

Ismail shrugged. "Still got the sword. I was never playing."

"You're still letting the old hag order you around? Come on man, I thought you had enough."

"I did. What are _you_ doing here anyways?"

The patrol made its way onto a dirt road. A throng of filthy, muddy figures, huddled together pitifully, streamed pass. It was the settlement evacuees. They dragged what few belongings they could bring in wagons, carts, sometimes tractors. A farmer never had much but the land on which he made a living. Occasionally one of the figures would fall, and the others would stop and swarm around, supporting and prodding their kin to get back up.

Asha turned to answer Ismail. "On probation. The Elders said I could get out of correctional early if I joined up." He threw up his arms. "So my only way to get free is to be fresh meat. She forced you into this too, right?"

"Nah. I chose to join the patrol. She did ask, though."

Asha gave a derisive snort. "You don't owe this town anything. What've they ever done, except push their burdens onto you?"

"You do know that your family lives here, right? They could all be in danger."

Asha looked away. "It isn't our fault they could be," he muttered.

"Quiet!" someone hissed. The patrol suddenly ground to a halt.

There was a chorus of quick whispers.

"What's going on?"

"I dunno. The Captain ordered us to stop."

"I said _quiet!_ "

Up ahead Ismail could see that Captain Ilham had given the "halt" gesture while he was speaking hurriedly with someone from the patrol. Ilham knelt down and everyone else quickly copied him. The grass in the open field where they knelt was virtually chest height. Visible in the distance were half a dozen farm houses and several large grain silos. This was Yichin Village. It was more of a hamlet, really. A rusty, beaten sheet-metal sign hung on the side of the main road:

WELCOME TO YICHIN

POPULATION: 93

Captain Ilham turned around and made a series of quick hand gestures. Several junior leaders in the patrol nodded and turned to whisper the instructions to their sections.

The leader of Ismail and Asha's section was a woman named Reyhan, identifiable by the large scar over her left eye. "Alright," Reyhan whispered tersely. "Other patrols in the area said they saw movement beyond the creek behind Yichin. We're going to into the village and setting up there. The place's evacuated, so there's no one there."

Yichin was a barren ghost town fried by the afternoon sun. Many of the structures in the hamlet-sheds, grain storage etc.-were made of sheet-metal, like the sign, since they meant to be portable and easily disassembled. Their surfaces became hot enough to fry eggs on. Ismail, Asha, and the scrawny boy who thought he was " _so cool"_ from earlier sat in the shade of an abandoned tractor shed, munching on rations. Part of the patrol was on break while the rest kept watch.

"What're you following him around for, kid?" Asha asked the boy.

"Well he's the Paladin," the boy said through a mouthful of rice. "I mean, I always dreamed of being the Paladin-of going out and saving people, y'know? I wanna to see him do it."

Asha snorted with contempt. " _Saving people?_ Hah. Kid, let me tell you something." He scooted closer to the boy. "There's no glory in it. In saving folks, I mean. There's no place for hero-worship in this world. No one's going to kow-tow to you just because you have a fancy title." Asha shot a glance at Ismail, before turning back to the boy. "The only thing people'll ever want to do is _use_ you for themselves, kid. If you try to benefit yourself or your friends or family, they'll lock you up. That's what they did to me, anyways. Just for tryin' to earn some money for my siblings. So you should drop your _asinine_ beliefs, because that's a road to nowhere-"

"Lay off him Asha," Ismail interrupted.

"You know it's true, Izzy."

"Just what do you want, Asha?"

Asha shrugged nonchalantly. "I just want people to wake up."

"Stop judging the kid's the beliefs."

"I'm just priming him for reality, that's all."

The boy now stared morosely at the ground, eating silently.

"Hey. What's your name?" Ismail asked him.

The boy looked up. "Adil."

"Don't mind what Asha's saying, Adil. He's got a stick up his ass."

* * *

Negotiations were at a stalemate. Arzu stared tersely at the unflinching man on the vidscreen. He had a distinctively military haircut and a chiseled head whose only moving part seemed to be the jaw. The rest of his body was largely hidden off screen, but it was clear he wore some sort of body armor and assorted military gear. This man-a lieutenant representing the Monarchists-was a professional, not some rag-tag militiaman.

"We've already told you. We are not on anyone's side in the war and we are not looking for trouble," Arzu repeated. She had a hell of a headache drumming in her head. "If you need provisions, we can-"

"I don't think you understand, miss. We're not asking for permission. We're not trying to woo you over to our cause. We're just considerate enough to the finer details of your reintegration into the Imperial Domain."

" _Hand of friendship" my ass._ "And we're considerate enough to politely decline and offer you some supplies before you go on your way," Arzu replied coolly. "You can either accept our hospitality and leave, or leave with nothing at all."

The lieutenant remained infuriatingly emotionless. "Our presence in Kuzon province is not up for negotiations. The primary purpose of this communique is to allow you some choices in governance."

"We did not need to agree to speak with you in the first place. You are lucky to have been granted an audience, considering our neutral stance. Please don't push the limits of our hospitality. Now, would you like some supplies before you go?"

A faint smile appeared on the lieutenant's face. "If you aren't going inform us of your desired accommodations, I cannot guarantee that our-" he paused briefly to think "-That our rule will be to your liking," he finished.

Chief Koh, Chief Hong, and other leaders stared at the lieutenant. The air in the Council Room was like a coiled spring. Tense. Arzu searched their faces for some sign of what to say. Chief Koh met her eyes and nodded. Slowly, Arzu turned back to the vidscreen.

"Tell your commanding officer that we have given him twelve hours to pull his forces away from our perimeter. If he fails to comply, we won't be able to guarantee the-" Arzu paused in mockery "-The safety of his men," she finished. One of the Elders flipped a switch, and the vidscreen turned off before the lieutenant could reply.

* * *

"I'm seeing movement near the edge of those woods," Reyhan whispered. A pair of binoculars were plastered to her face. Next to her, Ismail, Asha and the rest of her section kept watch from behind their barricade of crates, sweating themselves dry in the stifling heat. They were posted at an alley leading out of the hamlet.

Ismail peered curiously over the top of the barricade, but he couldn't see anything along the woods. Objects in the distance were hazy and distorted Some of the other patrol members whispered hurriedly among themselves.

"We're still negotiating with them, right?"

"Maybe they left already?"

Ismail ducked back behind the barricade, nursing butterflies in his stomach. _Never faced_ this _scenario in training before,_ he thought to himself. Meanwhile, everyone else at the barricade was bored, nervous, or an agonizing combination of both.

Asha was whittling a stick with a pocketknife. "Awful shame we can't see you use that sword," he murmured.

Adil was drawing figures in the sand with a pensive expression on his face.

There was a _zip_ sound in the air. Something fast, something violet shot overhead, accompanied by a wave of searing hot air. Ismail's heart skipped a beat.

"EVERYBODY GET TO POSITIONS!" Reyhan shouted.

* * *

 **So here it is, guys. There's going to be plenty of action in the next chapter.**

 **As always, reviews are welcome!**


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